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Reduce, Reuse (Donation) and Other Recycling Opportunities

Remember, it’s REDUCE, REUSE and then RECYCLE. Reducing the amount of waste we create in the first place will help reduce the amount of materials that need disposal. Many items that you no longer need may still be useable, can find another home and extend its life.

What you can find on this page:

What's New

Residential Data Destruction and Paper Shredding Rather than destroying documents that contain personal information consider shredding the paper, then recycling it. Check you local listings or Google 'paper shredding services, Alexandria, VA' for a shredding service near you. There may be fees charged for some or all of the services. Or, you might consider buying a shredder at a local office supply shop or on-line. The company listed below has donated quality shredding services at some of our public events and they have done a good job.

Shred Station Express - provides both mobile and off site document destruction of small or large quatities of documents and electronics

Alexandria Freecycle is a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.

Batteries

Many types of batteries still contain high levels of heavy metals and other toxins that are extremely dangerous to the environment.

Residents may dispose of Batteries of all types at the City's Household Hazardous Waste Center located at 3224 Colvin St. Please review the information below for recycling and disposal options for each type of battery and consider buying rechargeable batteries instead of disposable batteries. Rechargeable batteries reduce the number of batteries being manufactured and are easily recyclable.

Alkaline and carbon-zinc household batteries are every day batteries (typically AA through D size) found in flashlights, remote controls, and other appliances. Note: These types of batteries are no longer hazardous and may be disposed of in your regular household trash. If you are uncertain about the type of battery you have, please take them to the Household Hazardous Waste Center along with your other hazardous waste materials.

MOM's Organic Marketaccepts alkaline/carbon-zinc and other rechargeable batteries for recycling. They are located at 3831 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305.

Button Batteries are small, round and typically used in watches and hearing aids. These batteries contain mercury, silver, cadmium, lithium and other heavy metals that extremely toxic and should always be recycled or disposed of properly.

Check with your local retailer about disposal and recycling options or visit the City's HHW Center.

Automobile Batteries (Lead-Acid Car Batteries) - should always be recycled at your local auto parts store or service center.

Never dispose of automobile batteris in the trash

Take all automobile batteries to your local auto service centers or lead-acid battery retailer

Rechargeable batteries are used in the following types of devices: power tools, cellular and cordless phones, laptop computers, camcorders, digital cameras, and two-way radios. Rechargeable batteries include:

Bicycles

Bikes for the World collects repairable bicycles donating them to charities overseas. Note: $10/bike donation suggested, defraying shipping to overseas charity partners. Receipt provided for all material and cash donations.

Vélocity is a bicycle cooperative that collects bicycles and bicycle parts for use in our community-based bicycle repair shop. We are based in Alexandria and provide space and tools for the community to fix or build bicycles, as well as, providing training, rides, and events to promote cycling in Alexandria.

Find the nearest Goodwill (click on the link for "Where to Donate") or Salvation Army store near you where you can donate materials.

Booksavers of Harrisonburg, VA, resells and recycles books. Booksavers will sell donated items that have value. Old textbooks and other similar items are channeled through other organizations, or have their covers removed ands are recycled. Email Booksavers (attention David Stoltzfus, Manager) at to arrange for delivery.

Find the nearestGoodwill (click on the link for "Where to Donate") or Salvation Army store near you where you can donate materials.

Building Materials

MWCOG – Online Builder’s Recycling Guide helps builders find out how and where to recover construction and demolition materials in the Washington, D.C., area. The database is searchable by material or by company, searches are divided by state.

Cell Phones

Staples stores now offer a nationwide Mobile Devices Recycling program, where customer can recycle their used cell phones, PDAs, pagers and rechargeable batteries. A large portion of the proceeds generated from recycling the mobile electronics devices will be donated to the Sierra Club. The Staples in Alexandria is located at: 3301 Jefferson Davis Hwy Phone number: 703-528-8207.

ReCellular, Inc. is the largest recycler and reseller of used wireless phones and accessories in the wireless industry. ReCellular has well-established partnerships with Easter Seals, Verizon Wireless, the March of Dimes, National Organization on Disability, Goodwill Industries, and The Body Shop.

Recycle for Breast Cancer is a fundraising program designed to help The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation raise funds quickly and easily through recycling many types of electronic equipment, cell phones, and toner cartridges. As a participant, you collect these items, box and prepare them for shipping and the organization will send you a prepaid shipping label. There is no cost to you for shipping.

Clothing

The Northern Virginia area is filled with local consignment and thrift shops. Reusable clothing is also accepted by many churches and thrift stores. To locate one near you, consult the yellow pages under "churches" and "thrift stores."

Find the nearest Goodwill (click on the link for "Where to Donate") or Salvation Army store near you where you can donate materials.

Planet Aid also has yellow collection boxes at many locations around Alexandria, such as grocery stores and gas stations.

Art for Humanity Collects shoes, clothing, jewelry, women's accessories, sheets, towels, etc. We give those donations to poor families in developing countries. They use some of the donations for the needs of their extended family and sell others, using the proceeds to build a home, pay for educational expenses, or begin a small home based business.

Eclectic Threads is a consignment shop featuring womens' vintage to modern clothing and accessories.

Construction & Demolition Debris

MWCOG – Online Builder’s Recycling Guide helps builders find out how and where to recover construction and demolition materials in the Washington, D.C., area. The database is searchable by material or by company, searches are divided by state.

General Thrift

Back Porch Thrift Store Operated by the United Community Ministries, the thrift store accepts items to assist families and individuals to improve the quality of their lives in a manner that builds their self-esteem and fosters their ability to function at the greatest level of their capacity - socially, economically and emotionally.

Catholic Charities/Christ House Thrift Store accepts general household items for distribution to their clientele. 703.548.4227

Look Again, Prevention of Blindness Society Resale Shop provides comprehensive information on vision problems, correction and eyeglasses as well as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and a directory of professional members. You can also donate used eye glasses.

St. Clement Thrift Shop accepts general household items for distribution to their clientele. 703.998.6166

Find the nearest Goodwill (click on the link for "Where to Donate") or Salvation Army store near you where you can donate materials.

Plastics - Other

Plastic containers and bags are commonly used very day and are increasingly recycleable in curbside and drop-off recycling programs. There are local business accepting containers that are not recyclable in curbside and drop-off recycling programs.

Plastic Bags - Most grocery stores have collection boxes for plastic bags near their entrance.

Toner Cartridges

T3 Toner Company buys back empty toner, inkjet, fax, and copier cartridges. T3 Toner then remanufactures and sells the refurbished items. The company will also buy surplus inventory, expired, excess, overstock, and outdated printer supplies. Individuals or companies should use the “Request a Quote” form on the T3 Toner website to get an estimate of how much money they will receive on their empty items. The website also contains a list of items that T3 Toner will accept.

Recycle for Breast Cancer is a fundraising program designed to help The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation raise funds quickly and easily through recycling old cell phones and empty inkjet and toner cartridges. As a participant, you collect these items, box and prepare them for shipping and the organization will send you a prepaid shipping label. There is no cost to you for shipping.

You can further help the environment and save money by purchasing remanufactured toner cartridges. These cartridges are often available in office supply catalogs and you order them as you would any other office supply. These cartridges are a high quality product and function exactly like the new cartridges do, and often at a lower price.

Greening your Holiday Season or Anytime of Year

According to the EPA, Americans generate an additional million tons of trash over the average between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. That's a massive 25 percent spike in trash! Here's how you can help over the holidays and year round!

1. BYO Bags! Start by shopping with a reusable bag instead of using the disposable bag offered by the stores, including grocery, retail, and electronic stores. Even if you can't always remember to bring a reusable bag, just doing it half of the time will mean half the amount of bags. Every bit helps!

2. Reduce, reuse, and recycle your gift wrap.

When wrapping gifts, try using the comics in the newspaper, or reusable wrapper such as cloth, decorative boxes, etc.

Reuse wrapping paper. Instead of just wrinkling it up into a wad, save the larger sections for wrapping future gifts.

Choose wrapping paper with recycled content and that is recyclable (non-metallic paper).

3. Don't forget the rechargable batteries! With all the electronics that need batteries, tons of regular batteries get dumped when they run out. Get a simple recharger for under $20 and save money, as well as, our landfills.

4. Give to Others! So much food is thrown out over the holidays. Check with yoru local church or soup kitchen and donate it.

5. Greening your Holiday Tree.

Consider a live holiday tree. After the holidays, plant it in your yard or ask your local park officials if you can donate it to them.

"Green" Online Resources

Below are online websites committed to providing information on how each and everyone of us can make Alexandria, the United States, and the World a better place to live by reducing, reusing and recycling.

The Green Guide:is produced by National Geographic and provides readers with information on eco-friendly washing machines to how to incorporate eco-friendly practices into a wedding. Visit: www.thegreenguide.com for more information.

Earth 911:provide information about "greening" the environment, as well as, linking residents to local recycling programs in their state or City. Please make sure when using this site to locate recycling programs that you follow up with the locality to see if there have been an recent changes in the program. Visit: www.earth911.org for more information.